


another decade

by geniewish



Series: office au [1]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Birthday, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Oneshot, happy birthday kihyun, its a little bittersweet, kihyuk, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 06:30:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16697224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geniewish/pseuds/geniewish
Summary: And although Kihyun doesn't like being reminded that he's getting older, a certain someone always manages to make him a whole lot happier on this somehow special day.





	another decade

**Author's Note:**

> this is alternative universe and theyre all a little older than irl, but i still wanted to write a little something for my precious tiny man
> 
> hope you like it!

No matter how many years pass, Kihyun is still sure a good cup of fresh strong coffee in the morning is enough to make him happy for the rest of day. 

After that, events flow as usual: body – showered, breakfast – cooked and eaten, tie – tied, hair – styled, attitude – perfect, day – has just begun. The rush hour is expected, but it’s not anything troublesome when he’s running on a good strong dose of caffeine, two eggs, three bacon strips, a big bowl of rice and a nice finish in a form of his favourite vanilla yogurt, and so Kihyun raises the corners of his mouth and puffs his cheeks and offers the seat on the tube train to an elderly person. There’s enough energy in Kihyun’s organism to run him for another decade.

Quick steps up the tube stairs, quick steps to the building, a cheerful, “Good morning, Mister Kim, I’m glad you’re back with us!”, quick tapping of the foot in the elevator, quick steps down the corridor, one quick desperate exhale, and a quick turn of the door handle, and here it comes.

“Yoo Kihyun!”

The open space, countless desks and computers, millions of people, and Lee Minhyuk is somehow always the only man rising up above everyone else. Quite literally. The rest of his colleagues are trying not to pass out from morning hue as they spill coffee all over their keyboards and slump in their office chairs.

Kihyun sighs and takes a step into the death’s embrace, and Minhyuk’s arms surround him the next second. White shirt, black suit pants, loose blue tie and tangled-up hair that he forgot to brush before leaving to work, and it’s all that takes for him to look the way he usually does – pretty nice.

“Happy birthday to the strength of our accounting department!” Minhyuk shouts and swings his forearm close to Kihyun’s neck, chocking him in a side hug as they walk towards the office. 

Kihyun tries to huff in pretence annoyance but ends up with a tiny smile on his face. “Come on, you know I don’t like making it all public.” He mutters through the pressure on his neck, but Minhyuk’s steps are large and confident, and he’s the captain on this particular ship.

“Soon to be thirty! One more year, and you’ve officially lived four decades on this smouldering earth!” Minhyuk dramatically exclaims, and they enter through the light brown mahogany door that’s a little too posh for their branch.

“Shut up, you turn thirty before me.” The door closes, and Kihyun allows a bigger natural smile to stretch over his face, and he plops into the beige leather wheeled chair, sinking down and avoiding Minhyuk’s smug grin. His cheekbones become even rounder when he smiles, and his mouth looks like an emoji. Arms crossed in front of his chest, he leans on one leg and looks at Kihyun from behind his long unbrushed bangs.

“Come on,” Minhyuk takes a step towards the desk, and his grin grows wider and cheekier. Kihyun doesn’t let it get him, so he raises his chin as a challenge, although it gets harder to control his lips with each second. “You know we’re going to celebrate your birthday today.” Minhyuk finishes his threatening line and leans on the desk, a good meter of smooth polished wood separating them now. There are so many tangles in his bangs.

“I-I-I-I don’t think so.” Kihyun singsongs and spins around, and Minhyuk goes around the desk and the chair and traps him from behind.

“Jooheon and Changkyun think of going karaoke. You love karaoke, admit it.” There’s a kiss on the top of his head, and Kihyun tries really hard not to melt.

“Are the rest of them planning on giving me presents?” Kihyun asks already knowing the answer and sighs with all the exasperation his not-so-big body can possibly hold.

“Just be nice and accept them.” Minhyuk twists the chair to make Kihyun look into his eyes and smiles wider, and there’s a warm knuckle grazing his cheek and fingers poking at the red tips of his ears.

“But if it’s my day, doesn’t it mean I don’t have to be nice if I don’t want to?” He catches Minhyuk’s wrists and mentally leaves a kiss on the back of his hands.

The other groans-whines in frustration and rolls his eyes. “They love you, that’s why they’re giving you presents.” Minhyuk pouts and swings their linked hands from side to side, and Kihyun forget when he let go of the control of his lips. It has always been hard keeping a straight face with Minhyuk, and maybe it’s the coffee that was incredibly good in the morning, or maybe because it’s not raining today, or maybe it’s Minhyuk’s tie, but he does feel a little bit more loved today than usually. And he hasn’t even received his presents yet. “And what’s up with the triple negotiation?” Minhyuk murmurs in the tiniest voice and looks up.

“Fine, I’ll accept their love then.” And Minhyuk smiles even wider, and undying sparkles in his eyes glow even brighter.

Then he kicks the chair and forcefully drags Kihyun out of it. “And now get out of my office, you heartless chicken!” Kihyun stumbles forward and yowls at the loss of the wheelie chair. 

“You were the one that didn’t give me a day off for my own birthday!” He picks up his bag as Minhyuk sits down. 

“Well, should’ve talked to my boss, I’m only here to make sure you work.” He picks up a pen with a lip bite and swings left and right in his manager chair, looking like a fool out of place and not a superior. At least he’s a pretty nice-looking fool.

Kihyun puts a hand on the door handle and gives the other one final eye roll, tiny-tiny smile still remaining on his lips.

“I love you,” Minhyuk gently calls and nods him a good bye with his eyebrows, smile all cute and emoji-like, puffy cheeks and dimples and all. 

Kihyun sends a quick flying kiss and nods him a see you later as he swings the door open and physically cringes at the childish action only Minhyuk can make him do. A few ‘happy birthday’s hit him as soon as he exits the office.

Open space, a lot of desks, harmonic sounds of keyboards clacking and coffee mugs smashing, and Kihyun settles into the routine, logs into his computer, takes off his coat, and sinks into his own wheelie chair that’s not as warm as Minhyuk’s.

 

Hyungwon from Human Resources is the first one to approach him with a present. 

“Yoo Kihyun,” he states as he drags some spare chair to sit opposite Kihyun and smiles, a wrapped-up flat box on his knees. Kihyun rolls his eyes, biting on the inside of his cheeks to remain as unaffected as possible. “Happy birthday, you tiny bastard.” Hyungwon smiles widely and stretches his long arms over the desk, and Kihyun raises his eyebrow – one final gesture before his cover blows up completely. 

“How courteous of you to remember by birthday, ah,” he licks over his front teeth and tsks, and Hyungwon exhales with an annoyed smile that Kihyun knows is just a response to their little gig. It’s kind of their thing. 

“Accept your gift and open it.” He puts the box on the table and watches Kihyun intently, quickly tapping his leg and chewing on his bottom lip. Kihyun picks up the present, and Hyungwon just smiles, eyes jumping between the box and his face, anticipating, and Kihyun is in a mood for teasing, because it’s his day and his rules.

So, he unties the carefully done ribbon slowly, and Hyungwon rolls his eyes knowingly, just letting Kihyun have his way. In reality—and Kihyun rarely enjoys the reality—Hyungwon’s presents are usually spot-on. He’s a sensible guy, he likes using his head for clever things, and Kihyun opens the box to see the most delicate piece of fabric folded inside. It’s a light blue cashmere scarf. Kihyun smiles and looks up to Hyungwon’s bright big eyes.

“You walk around without a scarf on,” he shrugs and scratches the back of his head, “probably because we accidentally burned your last one, on accident, accidentally,” Hyungwon mumbles and looks up, pretending like what he just said wasn’t his fault in any way, “so here’s a new one.”

Kihyun decides to let the little unnecessary reminder slide and smiles specifically for the other man. “Thank you—”

“It’s,” Hyungwon suddenly starts again, “custom-made, it has your initials engraved on it.” Hyungwon nods in the direction of the present, and Kihyun looks back down. ‘YKH’ is sewed in silver thread right at the bottom of the scarf, and maybe he lets his heart enjoy a little flutter. 

“Thank you, really.” Kihyun smiles from the inside, and Hyungwon mimics the sentiment, and his face is glowing as his lips stretch and his cheeks rise and his eyes form wrinkles in the corners.

“Glad you like it.” He sighs and slaps his knees. “Well, I’m going to go now, be a responsible adult who still has another two years before his fourth decade.” He quickly gets up and turns around.

“Your birthday is next, dumbass!” Kihyun shouts half-heartedly across the open space as Hyungwon jogs back to his desk on his thin elongated legs. Kihyun carefully covers the thin box with the lid, leaves it on his desk and begins his work with a little smile that might as well still be that good strong morning coffee.

 

Jooheon and Changkyun from Marketing catch him ten minutes later when Kihyun gives up and goes for another cup of caffeine. The two jump onto him, endeavour him in a tight suffocating hug that even Minhyuk would be jealous of, and fight their way through to his cheeks, doing their very best to leave a peck each.

“Happy birthday!” They shout and finally let go, and Kihyun is out of breath and off balance. 

“Soon to be thirty!” Changkyun grins with the smuggest expression and shakes his shoulder as an uncontrollable hyena laugh leaves his mouth. Kihyun smiles through the pain and scrunches his nose, putting on a not-annoyed mask. The two from the marketing are the youngest in their branch, and Kihyun witnessed them throwing the same attacks on Minhyuk just a few weeks ago.

“Which is why,” Jooheon starts, exchanging looks with Changkyun.

“Our present…”

“Is…”

“This super expensive set of selfcare from the store we can’t afford on our own!” They shout together and extend a white bag from Jo Malone, and Kihyun sighs with a barely audible moan as he gratefully accepts the present.

“It’s cologne, hand soap, candles and fragrance, all the shit you—"

“And Minhyuk—”

“Like.” Jooheon finishes with a big kind smile, emphasising his dimples, and his eyes form crescents, and his entire face uplifts into the purest expression of care and love. Changkyun spares the other a glance and copies him, smaller dimples now also decorating his face.

Kihyun has nothing else to do other than return the smile and hug his two friends tightly. “Thank you, guys, so much.” He breathes into their cheeks and feels chaotic slaps on his back.

“Happy birthday, Kihyun.” Jooheon says calmly now, and Kihyun holds the bag closer to his chest when the three of them separate.

“Love you lots!” Changkyun shouts as the duo leaves Kihyun to his little happiness and solitude.

 

Hoseok from R&D, who is later than usual today, storms into the open office and brings the coldness of the street with him, doesn’t bother undressing as he rushes straight to Kihyun’s desk to swallow him in his huge black padded jacket. 

“Very happy birthday to you, Kihyun!” Hoseok gently exclaims through a blocked nose and sniffs. He’s cold, the tips of his nose and ears are read, and the sensation sends shiver down Kihyun’s spine, but he reciprocates the hug anyways. 

“Thank you, Hoseok.” He smiles slightly into the fabric and detaches himself from the freezing man. He turned thirty already, so Kihyun doesn’t have to brace himself for more teasing. Hoseok is too kind-hearted for that. 

“This if from me and our entire department, with the best wishes!” Hoseok extends a prettily wrapped-up rectangular box, similar to Hyungwon’s but more solid, and Kihyun takes it with a smile, ideas already forming in his head.

“Thank you so much.”

“Open, open!” Hoseok exclaims and sniffs again.

Kihyun opens the wrapper as carefully as he can and reveals two things: a picture frame and a book. It’s their little friendship group on the photo posing funnily in front of the pet shelter Jooheon and Kihyun donated to together. He’s been volunteering there since his university days, and his friend adopted two cats from there recently. It was a good day.

The book was a collection of Kihyun’s photographs, the ones he took with his camera. It wasn’t something he always showed to other people, he was always very subtle with his passion, preferring to take pictures when the chosen object doesn’t suspect it. And how could he forget Hoseok had a copy of the hard drive?

“Oh, this is…” Kihyun mutters and pouts, a soft flutter in his heart getting louder. “Thank you, really.” He breathes out and brings the presents to his chest, looking up at Hoseok to see the other man smiling wider than the ocean, so bright his crescent-shape eyes fill with sparkles, and Kihyun barely withholds from pinching his cheeks.

“You’re welcome!” Then Hoseok sneezes and sniffs again, and Kihyun laughs for the first time this day. “Okay, I have to get to work. Happy birthday!” Hoseok smiles one last time and takes a step away from Kihyun before turning around again. “Oh, here’s your coffee, by the way, I thought you might need one.” He pushes the paper cup into his hand and escapes, and Kihyun silently hopes Hoseok didn’t sneeze on it.

 

Hyunwoo, their executive’s right desk, is usually too busy to come down to their floor, so Kihyun is pleasantly surprised to see him in the cafeteria.

“Kihyun! I’ve been looking for you the whole day!” Hyunwoo calls, but Kihyun knows better than to trust the older man. He’s just been waiting for coincidence to bump them into each other. “Happy birthday.” Hyunwoo smiles his warm smile, and Kihyun reciprocates it immediately, because Minhyuk was right—Minhyuk is always right—he feels too loved today. So loved that he’s slowly (very quickly) getting used to this feeling, and he knows it’s not the five cups of coffee that his body is running on, it’s his good mood and energy other people give him that make him feel much more accepting sentimental.

Hyunwoo hands him a small velvet box, and Kihyun opens it immediately without waiting for permission just to quickly close it again and stare at the other man up in shock. It’s an Omega watch, and Kihyun’s first ever proper Swiss watch. First Swiss anything, really. 

“This is so,” Kihyun stops himself before he mutters something weird and just sighs and smiles gratefully. He really sighed a lot today. “Thank you so much.”

They hug in the middle of the cafeteria, and then Hyunwoo runs away with a phone call from his boss. He shouts one final happy birthday wish and leaves Kihyun alone to admire the beautiful silverwork and have lunch on his own. 

 

Minhyuk ushers Kihyun to leave earlier today. 

“I thought we were going karaoke?” He asks confused as the other pulls a coat up his arms and ties Hyungwon’s new present around his neck.

“Perhaps, but we’re going to my place first. Bye everyone, good work today!” Minhyuk’s shout spreads through the open office, and he receives a few tired ‘yeah, bye’ in reply. Kihyun doesn’t question Minhyuk’s plans or head anymore and just follows his lead. He would never refuse a free ride to either of his homes anyways.

Minhyuk lives in a bigger apartment, in a better apartment complex, in a prettier area, and even though Kihyun likes to throw a show every time the other drags him to his, he loves staying over for a night, or maybe two, or maybe even seven. His home has a nice view, an open kitchen and a big TV, and never have the two of them ever purposefully missed out on their weekly Saturday film nights. Kihyun usually cooks something gourmet, Minhyuk opens a bottle of wine, and they lie on his big soft couch, surrounded by aromatic candles and each other. It’s cute like this.

But today is a weekday, and they supposedly have a small work afterparty later in the evening, and the work hours aren’t finished for all of their friends yet – Hyungwon was still in the office absentmindedly sorting out his papers in the half-dark office when they left, and Hyunwoo was definitely going to stay for a few extra hours with their superior. So maybe Kihyun anticipates their time alone a little bit more than usual, and he can’t help the childish bouncing and a sheepish smile as he watches Minhyuk open the front door.

The owner of the apartment turns on the lights, they take their shoes off, and as Kihyun looks up at the other man with all the excitement he knows is too transparent in his eyes, the bedroom door opens and Minhyuk’s cleaning lady comes out. Kihyun steps away and bows.

“Happy birthday,” she bows as well and smiles and turns to Minhyuk, who’s jiggling a little bit more than usual. Kihyun curves his eyebrows in question, and Minhyuk smiles so widely he releases a tiny dumb giggle, and the cleaning lady copies his excitement. The air in this apartment smells of conspiracy and secret plots, and Kihyun squints his eyes suspiciously as Minhyuk takes his hand and leads him across the living room to the bedroom. They never act intimate in front of other people, even their closest friends, and Kihyun doesn’t know what to expect when there’s a third person in the room.

But Minhyuk opens the door, turns on the lights, points to his bed by the wall opposite and turns around to see Kihyun’s reaction. And it takes him a few seconds to distinguish a shapeless spot lying on top of the white sheets, and he covers his mouth in time to hold back a gasp.

There’s a puppy on the bed. 

Kihyun involuntarily takes a step forward and breathes harshly through the palm, and he can’t help the shocked muffled inhales the closer he gets to the living sleeping creature. Minhyuk hops to the bed and crouches on the floor, and Kihyun barely detaches his hand from his face and crosses the remaining distance. Minhyuk is already petting the small yellow Labrador’s head, making the little puppy blink and nuzzle closer into the warm palm, and Kihyun sniffs.

Minhyuk turns around with the biggest smile. “I guess, here is my present.” He looks sheepish, like he isn’t quite confident in his reaction, and Kihyun thinks his boyfriend is stupid for assuming he can do anything other than cry at the prospect of raising a pet with him. 

Kihyun gets over the surprise just enough to kneel in front of the bed as well and carefully bring his hand to the puppy’s tummy, when the cleaning lady comes into the bedroom and walks towards the bed. “And here’s the rest of the pack.” Kihyun turns around so fast he thinks he cracked his neck, but it doesn’t matter when he’s met with two big green pairs of eyes on tiny black faces. 

“Oh, my god, you got us kittens as well,” Kihyun wheezes in the high hoarse voice and sniffs, tears immediately filling his eyes to the brim as he takes one fragile little creature in his hands.

Minhyuk chuckles and takes the other one, putting him on his knees and covering his entire tiny head with his palm. “I still don’t really understand what kind of person you are, so I adopted both. And this gremlin,” he lightly touches the pink nose of the black and white kitten in Kihyun’s clutch, “came as a bonus with this one.” Minhyuk bends to kiss the crown of the fully black fluffball he’s holding, and Kihyun doesn’t even care if the tip of his nose is read and he looks like he’s really crying.

“Thank you so much,” he breathes out quietly and carefully wraps one arms under the kitten’s stomach and goes to gently pet the sleepy puppy on the bed with his free hand, and he feels a bright anticipating gaze somewhere on his side. He sniffs again and looks at Minhyuk.

“I suppose you’ll be coming to my place more often now.” Minhyuk smiles slyly at first but breaks down into wholehearted laugh when Kihyun sniffs particularly loudly and wheezes a broken down ‘yes’ with a nod as the tears start sliding down his cheeks, and Minhyuk surrounds him in a hug the next second, kissing his cheeks and giggling into his ears.

“Careful,” Kihyun calms down and moves away just slightly, “the kittens.” He looks between them and their tiny kids on their squished legs and suddenly chuckles at the funny image. He’s wearing an office suit and crying with a kitten on his knees. 

Minhyuk puts the second fluffball on the bed and stands up. “Maybe one day we’ll really meet our fourth decade together.” He suggests with a smile and offers a hand to help Kihyun get up. He hugs the tiny kitten closer to his chest, leaves the softest kiss on his head, and lays him on the bed. The creature raises his head and looks around, and the now awaken puppy straightens his front legs and attempts to seat down. Kihyun laughs softly and wipes his eyes, and he really doesn’t know how to express the power with which his heart is fluttering right now.

But Minhyuk does it first—he always does it first—and puts his always warm palms on Kihyun’s cheeks, smiling down on him and cooing, because Kihyun has always been a little bit too soft for animals and everything Minhyuk has ever done for him. So they reach into the kiss together, as usual starting a little bit more soft, gentle, exchanging warmth and sentiments, and Kihyun wraps his hands around Minhyuk’s wrists and feels the pulse, the sped up heartbeat, and Minhyuk’s thumbs caress his cheeks, wiping the remains of happy tears. 

And although they never behave intimately when there’s someone else around, Kihyun somehow can’t find it in himself to care when he inhales deeper and opens his mouth, and Minhyuk is there the next second, bringing him closer, because no matter how many years pass, Kihyun is never enough for him. Not when they live separately, although stay over at each other’s most of the nights, and not when they both have too much work, although they see each other five days a week in the same office, and especially not when they plan to hit another anniversary and meet the new decade together, although they still have a whole other year before it. 

Kihyun replies with all the emotions he doesn’t usually show, all the emotions he prefers to leave for home, and home is wherever Minhyuk is. And Kihyun feels especially grateful today, like all the presents and wishes and cheek kisses before prepared him for this moment, made him into butter and put him in a microwave, just so he could melt and let all the sentiments run through his body and spill in the form of tears. It’s good that he has Minhyuk to absorb all that through the kisses they always reciprocate. 

A funny quiet sneeze somewhere from below made them giggle, and Minhyuk, still holding Kihyun’s head, presses their foreheads together and closes his eyes. “Happy birthday, Kihyun.” He whispers and leaves a lingering kiss on his forehead before embracing him fully and putting his chin on top of Kihyun’s head.

Kihyun hides a smile in Minhyuk’s chest and whispers the sincerest thank you. He doesn’t need presents or celebrations, doesn’t need to get reminded he’s getting older, he just needs Minhyuk by his side, with his loud and extravagant persona and funny emoji-shaped grins and softest words of confessions. 

“I really do love you,” he whispers into the white suit shirt and hugs his boyfriend around the waist, burying his face deeper into Minhyuk’s chest and reassuring himself that all of this is enough to make his birthday the best day of the passing year.

Although, he must confess, the rest of the presents also made him feel a little bit happier.

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday, kihyun
> 
> this is the shortest and the softest thing ive ever written!! look what kikis done to me!!!
> 
> follow me on twt @chaeleggiewon uwu


End file.
